New Coach Wants $15M Per Season? 'Rich-Person Problem' in Washington Search?

Detroit Lions Coach Ben Johnson Wants $15 Million Per Season? 'Rich-Person Problem' in Washington Commanders Search?

At this early stage, the Washington Commanders do not know which direction they will go when it comes to employing a head coach for the 2024 NFL season and beyond ...

Except, it seems, that they won't again be going with beleaguered incumbent boss Ron Rivera.

But if they want to chase the supposedly "hottest candidate"? New owner Josh Harris had better be prepared to pull out the fat wallet.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is apparently the darling as the Coaching Carousel gets ready to spin. (Sidebar: Nobody really knows this yet as at this point it is the media and agents propelling that Carousel.) 

And Ben is seemingly "pretty proud of himself," as your grandma might say, as according to our friend Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, Johnson's asking price is roughly $15 million per year.

"I'm told personnel around the league are discussing their awareness that some owners have been told the Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's asking price is at least or around $15 million a year for a head coach job, per source," Anderson wrote.

Is that a steep asking price? Johnson has no head coaching experience as he's moved quickly up the ladder in Detroit. The NFC North-leading Lions are averaging 27.3 points and 407.1 yards per game this season, so there is that.

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Is he superior to Eric Bieniemy, the present offensive coordinator? Does he bring something to the table that would attract Washington? If so, should money even be an object - especially when you realize that there are other coaches (including Bill Belichick and Sean Payton) who get paid in that range?

CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones offers up an insightful quote from a source on the subject.

"That," the source said in general of the high cost of finding the right guy, "is a rich-person problem."

Fortunately for Washington, Josh Harris happens to be a "rich person."